The invention generally relates to receptacles for spent smoking materials. More specifically, the invention relates to a repository that accepts spent smoking materials and extinguishes any smoldering smoking debris.
Smoking necessarily produces unsightly litter in the form of cigarette or cigar butts and spent matches. This litter can be difficult to clean up effectively because of its germ-carrying potential and small size. Also, smoldering smoking refuse poses an obvious fire hazard, particularly when disposed of in ordinary trash cans containing other flammable refuse.
With the proliferation of environmental and workplace regulations that force smokers outdoors, a high concentration of smoking related litter can accumulate in areas where smokers congregate or pass by. Receptacles are generally placed in these areas to encourage smokers to discard their spent smoking materials in the receptacles rather than on the ground. Frequently, these receptacles include ordinary trash cans in combination with an ashtray for receiving the smoking related litter. These designs have several significant drawbacks. For example, the ashtray portion of the receptacle can quickly become filled with cigarette butts and the like. Because the debris in the ashtray is visible, the appearance of the receptacle becomes quite unappealing. Moreover, if the smoker does not adequately extinguish the cigarette before discarding it in the receptacle, the cigarette can continue to burn or smolder producing smoke and creating a fire hazard particularly with respect to the trash can portion of the receptacle.
To address these concerns, various self-extinguishing receptacle designs have been marketed. One example of such a receptacle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,355 (xe2x80x9cthe ""355 patentxe2x80x9d). The ""355 patent discloses a receptacle consisting of a lower base portion that defines a cavity for receiving the smoking materials and an upper portion which defines an elongated tapered inner throat passage which communicates with the cavity in the base. Portals are provided in the upper portion near the upper end of the tapered internal passage for depositing the smoking related debris into the receptacle.
These designs have several shortcomings. The smoldering smoking refuse produces smoke that includes among other chemicals, tar and nicotine. The chemicals collect and build up on the inner surface of the enclosure. Then, the chemicals begin to drip and run down the enclosure producing a dark-colored runoff that can escape at the joint between the upper and lower portions and run down the exterior surfaces of the receptacle. This problem can be compounded by rainwater that enters the receptacle through the unprotected smoking debris portals located in the upper portion. The tar-and-nicotine-infused water then freely runs down the exterior of the base portion. This effect is typically unacceptable, particularly at the entrances to corporate offices and public spaces such as museums, restaurants, shops, and the like.
The tapered throat passage with its contiguous portals also fails to provide a means for partially extinguishing the smoking articles before insertion into the receptacle. As a result, there is unnecessary smoking and smoldering within the receptacle. This leads to increased dark-colored runoff and also increases the likelihood that there would be smoke escaping from the portals as the materials smolder in the receptacle. If sufficient oxygen is permitted to enter the receptacle as by an improperly placed upper section, there is also a heightened fire hazard.
These designs also have the shortcoming that they fail to control the air circulation in the lower cavity. The designs provide for two tapered sections, one in the lid portion and one in the inner throat portion. Together, the sections provide for a tapering configuration from the lower collection area to the portals. This tapering configuration assists the air in flowing from the smoldering debris to the outside, which has the effect of heightening the likelihood that smoke will escape possibly falsely indicating that the receptacle is on fire inside. Such an effect is disruptive to the businesses where the receptacle is placed.
These designs also suffer from the shortcoming that water and rain can enter the portals because they are not covered. While the side placement of the portals provides some protection from the entry of rain and the like, if rain is falling at an angle, it can freely flow into the device.
Visibility and attractiveness to smokers is another important feature of any receptacle for smoking refuse. In the ""355 patent design, the slim, tapered design of the upper end of upper portion, where the refuse portals are located, can be easily overlooked by smokers. The purpose of these inconspicuous portals may not be immediately apparent to smokers, particularly against certain backgrounds. As a result, smoking refuse may end up littering an area near such a receptacle, because the receptacle did not attract smokers"" notice.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a receptacle with features that are significantly different and better than other receptacles. The receptacle includes a non-tapered neck portion with an enlarged head containing openings for receiving smoking debris. The enlarged head provides an angled inner surface and a bonnet arrangement which shields the openings from taking in rain and the like. The angled inner surface head provides a large surface for the smokers to partially extinguish their smoking materials before inserting them into the receptacle.
The configuration of the illustrated embodiment of the present invention also controls the gaseous circulation within the receptacle by generating eddy airflows. In addition to the non-tapered head and neck portions, the lower dome-shaped cap of the upper portion is not tapered, but is convex in form relative to the base portion. Thus, as the smoke rises, it flows along the convex surface and collides into smoke flowing on the other side. As the streams collide they begin to back around, thus producing an eddy effect. This helps reduce the possibility of smoke escaping out of the openings in the neck. The gaseous circulation is also controlled by a restrictive configuration at the base of the neck. Instead of tapering from an open interface as in other designs. The neck portion becomes narrower before the interface with the dome portion. This narrowed passage assists in separating the gaseous contents of the lower portion of the device openings.
Furthermore, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention includes a uration for preventing the runoff of dark chemicals to the outside of the device.
These and other advantages of the present invention, as well as additional features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.